Screenshot Sender Alpha

[Gugi]

Well, I am not so sure if it isn't possible to display something on the screen which doesn't show up in the screenshots.

And to check if anything is loaded client-side you can use my ClanManager (see my signature), AntiTCC or SafeGame.
If I will ever develope version 1h of the ClanManager I will include the ScreenSender.


Oh, and has anyone some ideas for some useful features I could include?

The current version (not yet released) has the ability to convert the images to Greyscale (reduces filesize by 2/3), to show an arbitrary string in the server info instead of the name (you can set it e.g. to HappyBunnyMutator^^) and to check if the package was modified client-side.

[Frogger]

including with Clan Manager is a great idea..will get around the issues listed above of clients realizing what it is..

i haven't been able to try this out yet...but naming the image something like 'playername-mapname-date' would be useful.

[CVROY]

I did not know about the clan manager, thanks

[Gugi]

but naming the image something like 'playername-mapname-date' would be useful.

You can specify a name-template which supports different "key-values" which will be replaced with the correct one. For example: %Map for the map-name, %Name for the PlayerName or %H for the current hour. There are 12 of this special strings (see the Readme).
The resulting HTML-file is named that way and thus the final image, too.

I did not know about the clan manager, thanks

np


I think to prevent that cheaters can keep track of all the names of this mutator too easily I will offer all admins an own version, i.e. they will be able to ask me for a different mutator name just for themselves^^.
Dunno yet, but if, then for the final version.

[Frogger]

anyway to make an option for admin to enter the name themselves into the ini and on first run have it rename the necessary entries? this would keep you from having to make a special version for everyone..

[Shambler]

It shouldn't be difficult to create a simple program which finds the mutator name within the name table and changes it.

[seXBot]

About half the player screenshots I take with this come out 100% black.

[Shambler]

Ok, I've created a small program which allows a person to change this mutators package and mutator name.

However, while I have tested running a renamed version of a very simple mutator offline, I have not tested running a renamed version of the screenshot sender mut (I don't have a server to do proper tests on), so can someone please see if this renamed version of the mutator runs and works properly:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~JBarrett847/SSAPack.zip

Mutator name: SSAPack.SSSMut
Also modify the .ini file as well to reflect the package/mutator name changes.


If this works without problems then I'll release the .exe here for this version
I will NOT be releasing the code for it though as it might have potential for abuse, if need be (i.e. if people want) I can see about getting it reviewed (and maybe compiled) by a trusted third party before I post it.

[Gugi]

About half the player screenshots I take with this come out 100% black.

Hm, this version is only the alpha. I will see if I can find the problem (perhaps OpenGL?). Could you send me the HTML-File and the BMP-File (Mail is in the README)? Thx a lot

Ok, I've created a small program which allows a person to change this mutators package and mutator name.

However, while I have tested running a renamed version of a very simple mutator offline, I have not tested running a renamed version of the screenshot sender mut (I don't have a server to do proper tests on), so can someone please see if this renamed version of the mutator runs and works properly:
http://homepage.eircom.net/~JBarrett847/SSAPack.zip

Mutator name: SSAPack.SSSMut
Also modify the .ini file as well to reflect the package/mutator name changes.


If this works without problems then I'll release the .exe here for this version
I will NOT be releasing the code for it though as it might have potential for abuse, if need be (i.e. if people want) I can see about getting it reviewed (and maybe compiled) by a trusted third party before I post it.

K, I will test it (if I find some free-time... much work atm ).
I would also include a check to prevent that other packages are renamed, perhaps?

[Shambler]

K, I will test it (if I find some free-time... much work atm ).
I would also include a check to prevent that other packages are renamed, perhaps?

Thanks

It includes a check such as that yes, a few different things are hard coded into it.

[CVROY]

I had black screen shots when I tried it on myself when on server, but when I did it from other players it worked.

[-{Virtue}-]

I am also having some issues with black ss issue. I know that a few of the cheats out there can create clean ss... might be the issue here. other than that if the hud isn't hugely modified its tough to tell what the shot is with the low resolution.

[Flak]

Agreed, can the resolution be raised just a little without causing any issues?

[CVROY]

I use these settings and they seem pretty good, still small file and a decent view. I would not use them on auto though.

ScreenshotWidth=200
ScreenshotHeight=150

[Gugi]

...other than that if the hud isn't hugely modified its tough to tell what the shot is with the low resolution.

I already included an option (in my current dev-version) to convert the image to greyscale. Thus the filesize is only 1/3 of the original -> you can use higher resolutions (that the image is grey should be sufficent enough).
I am currently working on the implementation of Chroma-Subsampling, which allows to keep the colors, erm, more or less and reduces the filesize to 1/2.

I also want to include RLE-Compression which shouldn't be a huge problem.

I also thought of implementing the Huffman Code, but I think I would need to "hard-code" the "look-up" tree with a huge if-statement construct (which would have a size around 255 I think)

Agreed, can the resolution be raised just a little without causing any issues?

Well, it always sent the screenshot correctly in my tests, even on relatively high resolutions like 1024x748. The thing is, that the player and the server lost their connection more or less (grenades for example will spawn, but on the location the player had before taking the screenshot. I dunno if this also occurs to other player who are on the server at the same time).
This also sometimes occurs on resolutions like 120x100, but this connection-error only lasts 1 second or so then.

I am also having some issues with black ss issue. I know that a few of the cheats out there can create clean ss... might be the issue here.

Mh, I really don't know why some screenshots are black. I don't think that this an error of the mutator because it sends the header and the end of the file (the last 12 bytes which are some infos the converter uses).
And because the last 12 bytes are sent correctly I don't think that it is a network-overload-issue or something like that...
Mh, perhaps a driver-problem, or something else??


I dunno how long I need for the next release as I haven't got much time atm...